


Touch

by Okadiah



Series: Good Morning Arcadia Oaks! [3]
Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: Domestic, F/M, Touching, barbara is curious about troll biology, because she's a medical professional, but also because walter, soft and intimate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:28:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23553061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okadiah/pseuds/Okadiah
Summary: As Arcadia Oaks leading medical professional for those of trollish nature, Barbara has studied all the troll types who'd stayed after the Eternal Night War except one. After convincing Walt to agree, she finally gets the chance to study him too, one-on-one.And then she remembers that she's studying not just a troll, but Walter Strickler.
Relationships: Barbara Lake/Walter Strickler | Stricklander
Series: Good Morning Arcadia Oaks! [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1689643
Comments: 14
Kudos: 111





	Touch

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again, here's another for my GMAO! series that I've been sitting on forever. This was loads of fun to write and explore with Barbara. I hope you enjoy!

Barbara turned on the basement’s lights and settled the baby monitor in the corner, and soon Walt’s footsteps followed, each step creaking under his weight.

“Sorry about the mess,” she said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she moved canvases into piles along the wall, adjusting her easel so it was out of the way. There was plenty of space for Walt now.

“It’s no problem,” Walt said, smiling in that way that made softened his trollish features. “Though I hope one day you’ll allow me to properly admire your artwork.” He stepped in front of the painting of Blinky before shifting his attention to her rendition of Jim. “They’re remarkable.”

“Oh, they’re not much,” Barbara said with a shrug, relieved that ‘Goodbye Walt’ was well hidden behind the multitude of other paintings. “Just stress paintings. I had dreams about what I’d forgotten and the only way I could express them was like … this.”

He turned and arched a brow, his yellow eyes curious. “Did you ever paint me?”

She smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I very much would,” Walt replied but let the subject drop. “Where would you like me?”

“Right there’s fine.” Barbara gestured to the center of the room. “Will there be enough space?”

“Plenty,” he reassured before he reached behind his neck and yanked the snaps at the back of his blue sweater and pull it off. Ever since adopting human clothes again, she’d yet to see him in any state other than fully clothed.

“While prudent for the children,” he’d told her when she’d asked one night as he was doing laundry. “I rather like clothing. Remember, I spent an extensive amount of time wearing them as a changeling. I’m not a heathen.” He’d smirked then. “At least, not all the time.”

He’d had to get creative in accounting for his wings, designing in a way that made his clothing functional without looking ridiculous, and Barbara quietly thought he’d done a good job. His clothing made him look more like the Walter Strickler everyone knew and expected to see.

Although she suspected he also wore his clothing as a matter of pride.

After all, it also hid away his inhuman skin. Helped him appear just a little less troll-like to everyone, even her.

Not that she’d ever minded.

With his sweater carefully folded on top of the dryer, Walt rolled his neck and stretched his wings, flapping them just enough to make the canvasses ripple and her hair tickle her cheek.

“Would you like a chair?” Barbara asked belatedly, the thought coming to her after she realized she’d been staring maybe a little too long. “It would probably be more comfortable, wouldn’t it? I can do this with you sitting.”

Walter smirked at her. “Barbara. I’m a troll. A little standing won’t kill me, though if you’d prefer that I sit, I can get a seat or sit on the floor, whatever works best.”

“No, this is fine,” she said with a quick smile. “Maybe later, but for now, I think I’d like to do this with you standing.”

The former changeling looked amused as he stood in the center of the room under the lights. “Then by all means.”

Her heart fluttered and Barbara was so excited she was surprised he hadn’t called her out on it. For weeks now she’d been dying to get a better, closer look at him like this in his natural troll form and not concealed under a glamour mask. _Finally,_ and with a promise that she’d surrender cooking duties to him entirely, she’d gotten him to agree.

As the foremost human expert on troll physiology and medicine, she’d slowly asked the trolls who’d decided to remain in Arcadia if she could study them. Learn what she could to be a better healthcare provider for all the community, trolls included.

The trolls she’d asked had been more than willing to help, with AAARRRGGHH!!! all but jumping into her examination room at the very idea of helping. Troll by troll, she’d gathered notes and taken pictures. Learned the differences between the various types and kinds of troll.

Soon it was only Walt left, and between their responsibilities as leaders in the human and troll communities and taking care of Wally and Nomi, there had been little time to convince him when the time was better spent playing endless games of peekaboo and falling into quick, dreamless sleeps.

But over the course of a rare dinner-date and a leisurely nighttime walk — and flight, which was quickly becoming her secret pleasure — Barbara had found the time, and she’d even had a good argument to give him before he weaseled out of it. Walter was the only Stalkling-type troll in the town, and what if he got hurt? What if he broke wing? Shouldn’t she learn about him in case she needed to treat him?

Although he hadn’t been exceedingly reluctant, even despite her vow to leave the cooking to him, he had eventually agreed. He’d had a condition, however. Barbara would have to conduct her ‘observations’ within the privacy of their home.

She’d had no objections since it meant they could still be in the house in case the babies need them, though she’d been surprised he’d requested the basement. She’d thought he’d choose the living room or the comfort of his room, but he’d insisted on down here.

Maybe it was for the space from the kids or the dimmer light, but for whatever reason here they were.

And of all the trolls Barbara had seen, she couldn’t help but marvel at him in particular.

She asked her usual questions as she studied him, taking him in at a distance before circling closer. She asked about his wingspan and how much weight he could carry while in flight. She asked how fast he could run, and how strong he was. She asked if his skin had any special properties like the Krubera’s light sensitivity or if he was prone to weak joints or chipping like many others were.

Slyly, slipping the question in as if for purely medical reasons only, she asked his age.

Barbara wasn’t surprised when he arched a brow and gave her a knowing look, still refusing to tell. She wasn’t put off, though. She had time. She’d get it out of him eventually.

Soon her notebook began filling with all of her meticulous notes, and as she worked, they idly conversed about the day and the silly things that had happed, keeping the mood light. But now that most of her generic questions had been answered and her visual observations were somewhat satisfied, the session was coming to a close. Walt was saying something, about spending the rest of the evening watching a movie with her, the free time together rare.

But Barbara was half-listening. Instead, her eyes kept snagging on his jade skin and the texture she could see every time he moved and shifted. She stared at the movement of his wings and wondered if those were stone-like too or leathery.

It dawned on Barbara that as much as she’s wanted a better look at him, what she really wanted was to touch him.

“—so if you’d like I could pop some popcorn, maybe throw together a quick dip and …” Walt’s voice trailed off, his eyes widening with surprise as she put down her notebook on his folded sweater and took a step closer.

He stared at her.

“Barbara?”

Barbara lifted a hand but stopped several inches away from the jade of his chest. She arched a brow at him slowly.

“Do you mind?”

Her hand hovered above his skin and he stared, his slitted pupils locked on it as he considered. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d touched him. After all, how many times had he saved her in this form? Held her hand and passed things to her so close their fingers brushed?

But this _was_ different. She wanted to touch him. Experience him like this, vulnerable. And given his pride and the lengths he took to appear more human, Walt might not want her to. He might be okay with her looking but touching? That was personal, and it would down the barrier between them and make the truth of his nature so _real_.

Walter took a breath before reaching for her hand and pressing it gently against the plains of his chest. Instantly her fingers felt electrified, greedily sucking in the sensations they were experiencing like sponges. She wanted to touch _everywhere_ , but she refused to give in to her desires. Barbara held his gaze. Waiting.

Walt smiled at her encouragingly.

“Go on.” His smile widened into a grin. “Though be careful. I’m quite ticklish.”

His playfulness broke through her reservations and she grinned too. “Are you?”

“Well, I won’t tell you where, but knowing you I’m sure you’ll find out.”

“Oh, don’t challenge me, Walter Strickler,” she teased before finally turned her attention to the new sensations she was allowed to explore. “You should know better than that.”

“Oh, that I do.”

Quiet drifted between them, and although it was awkward the first few seconds, Barbara ignored it as she focused.

The first thing she noticed was that he was warm in the strangest way, and though this wasn’t a revelation, it was fascinating to feel without the threat of death to distract her. His skin gently radiated, like a rock that had been left out in the sun for a while, and the texture of it was surprisingly smooth. Almost like sanded stone.

“Wow,” Barbara said as curiosity and the puzzle of it all pulled in her mind. “How are you so warm?”

“It’s a bit different from human biology,” he explained, ever ready to step into the role of educator. “Trolls are, for the most part, organic stone. Instead of blood, it’s a type of magma which circulates within our bodies. It’s why, when we’re wounded, we don’t bleed. The wound cauterizes and seals itself into new stone, though it does make the scars a bit more distinct I will admit.”

“And that’s also why you’re able to breathe, isn’t it?” she asked as she felt his chest rise and fall, piecing it all together. “Your cardiovascular system stokes an inner fire you’re cultivating?”

“That’s a good way of thinking of it,” Walt replied, pleased. “If you’d like, I can give you a book that goes further into troll biology.”

“As a leading troll medical expert, I’d like that,” Barbara said with a chuckle, though she wasn’t at all joking. She’d gladly take anything that would help her become a better medical practitioner for the trollish community.

Though the potion and spell work involved with aspects of trollish healing might best be left to Walt.

She continued sliding her fingers over his stone skin, marveling at every smooth curve and jagged cut. Curiously she lifted one of his arms, tracing it from shoulder to wrist, then over the heel of his palm to study his fingers and claws with rapt detail.

“What about these designs?” she asked as she studied the long geometric lines which swept along the length of both his arms in gentle grooves. “Were you born with them?”

To her surprise, the skin about his cheeks darkened and he gave a small laugh before glancing away.

“Actually, no. They’re, uh … tattoos.”

Barbara’s jaw dropped.

“Tattoos?” she asked. “Walter Strickler. You’re kidding.”

Walt regained his confidence before puffing up. “I was young once too, and they’re not exactly uncommon among our kind,” he said. “Take AAARRRGGHH!!! for instance. His arms.”

Barbara couldn’t believe it. “ _Those_ are tattoos?” She frowned. “Jim better not come home with any of those.”

“I should hope not. Jim may be troll but he’s not entirely troll. Unlike the rest of us, he bleeds. Troll tattoos are made with a hammer and chisel.” Walt shrugged. “He’d best stick to ink.”

“Or none at all,” she murmured before her fingers followed the grooves of the tattoos upward and over his shoulder before trailing down his back. Barbara circled him, marveling at his narrow waist before moving around. His muscles flexed under the hard layer of his skin and she traced them like following a map. His jade skin, she realized, glittered slightly, like the light was catching tiny flecks embedded there.

But now that she’d come this far, she couldn’t stop her greatest curiosity from asserting itself. Positioned behind him and aware of Walt’s eyes on her, Barbara slid her hand over his shoulder and down his back. Then, like she’d imagined so many times, she stroked along the strong line of his powerful wing.

“These are incredible,” she breathed, stretching her hand upward along the leading ridge to its pointed crest before following it back downward. The wing also felt like stone and the fact that a stone body like his could _fly_ with these? Carry himself _and her_?

“I’m quite proud of them, I must admit, though I haven’t used them as much over the last few decades — excusing what happened with Trollmarket.” Walter stretched his wings slowly, allowing her fingers to trail along them as if leading them along. “It’s nice to have them out and use them when I like.”

“I bet,” Barbara said, shifting from the structure of the wing to the wing itself. It was warm and almost velvety, if stone could be velvety. “I’ve always dreamed of flying.”

“I suppose that’s why you’ve never been terrified by our flights,” he said with a smile. She snorted.

“Oh, I’ve been terrified. Need I remind you that we’ve been attacked while airborne and that they made you drop me?”

“I could never forget,” he replied, eyes momentarily troubled before he sighed. “But I caught you.”

“You saved me,” she said gently, stroking the thinner, velvety stone-flesh as she remembered falling and the fear. Remembered Walter’s glowing eyes as he dove through the sky and caught her, cradled her safely against him mere feet from the ground. “I definitely remember that.”

He didn’t say anything else, and neither did she, but the quiet wasn’t awkward now. It was companionable. Gentle and easy and with it she took her time in her study. She stretched his wings out, fascinated by their movements, and asked about the lower edges which looked rougher and frayed.

“Wings are an obvious target,” Walt replied, shifting one of them to study the bottom himself. “I move fast because I learned if I didn’t, I’d get clipped. Chipped. Wings don’t exactly grow back.”

“Reasonable, if dark,” Barbara said, pulling it back to check them herself. “At least the fighting is over.”

“Let’s hope so.”

She frowned at the doubt in his voice and she wanted to scrub it away. Jim had saved Arcadia. Gunmar and all the others were gone. Morgana was gone. Everyone was safe. There wasn’t anyone _left_ to fight.

But she knew he’d been fighting a long time and she’d treated veterans who behaved similarly. Always prepared, just in case.

She just hoped that as the peace continued, he’d learn to let the doubt go.

Squarely behind him now, she studied his back and curiously she drew her fingers slowly down the long his spine, between his incredible wings. If not for the fact that she was touching him she might have missed the shiver that seemed to trail after. Barbara heard the soft intake of breath though.

Concerned, she asked, “Should I stop?” pausing just short of the small of his back.

“Uh, no. Not unless you want to,” he said quickly, his wings dipping slightly so he could look at her over his shoulder. Again that faint blush was there, and he gave her an almost timid smile. “It’s just … sensitive there.” He cleared his throat and looked away. “Pleasant I suppose is the word.”

The nerves in her fingers magnified themselves where they pressed against his skin, and she felt her cheeks heat as she remembered that this was _Walt_. This was his body. Well, of course she’d _known_ that, but in the exploration of his unfamiliar form and biology, her inner scientist and medical professional had been in charge, studying him with a type of detached curiosity.

Now she remembered that this was _Walt._ And he was a man standing half-naked in front of her, letting her touch and explore him. And more than ever, she was acutely aware of the thing between them they hadn’t found the time to talk about yet. The care. The intimacy. The deep feelings she knew he felt for her and that she knew she felt for him, even if it might take her longer to say them.

“You … don’t mind?” she asked, her voice suddenly quieter. Gentler. She pressed her hand fully against his spine, and when he didn’t stop her, she pressed her brow between his wings and sighed. Closed her eyes and absorbed the warm radiance of him.

His body relaxed under her touch and his voice was just as soft.

“No. I don’t mind at all.”

“Just don’t be afraid to tell me to stop if your uncomfortable,” Barbara said, slipping her arms around his waist to hold him from behind. “That’s the last thing I want to do to you.”

“I know.”

She smiled and placed a soft kiss between his wings and again heard him take a quick breath, but he still didn’t stop her. Relaxing her arms, she slipped underneath one of his wings until she was settled in front of him. His eyes held hers and she slowly caressed his cheek, following the stark contours of his face over his brow, along his nose, across his jaw before she tentatively swept a thumb over his lips.

Barbara’s eyes widened with surprise.

“They’re soft!”

Walt smiled and she marveled at the discovery. Engaged again, now all she wanted to do was feel the texture of his hair, touch his horns, find out _more_ , but her thoughts left her when she realized how close they were to each other.

Barbara’s hand dropped to his chest as the world around them fell away. His hands rose to her shoulders and they were warm and weighted and made little sparkling zings of pleasant lightning spark through her.

“What do I feel like to you?” she asked, and in response he lightly trailed his fingers up her arms. Along her neck. Across her cheek. Her heart throbbed in her chest and her breath grew short as her eyes remained fixed on his.

“Soft,” Walt replied, stroking a thumb along her cheek. “Incredibly soft. And warm.”

She smiled as he did, slightly nervous but thrilled all the same. It had been a while since she’d been so intimate with someone, but she found herself growing more confident as the seconds passed. His hands dropped to her waist and she traced the column of his neck and over his chest again, then lower. His breath hitched but he didn’t stop her. Emboldened she eased her fingers lower still, all the way to the line of his belt and trousers. His belly twitched and a soft laugh slipped out of him.

“Seems you found one of my ticklish spots.”

“I’ll have to keep that in mind for later,” she said with a teasing grin. Barbara gently slid her thumbs along the line, wondering how far he’d let her go. How far she’d let _herself_ go. Already her mind was wandering in other directions. His trousers prevented her from studying his legs and feet, but just turning her mind toward the lower half of him made her curious.

His skin and body were stone, but Rule Three implied a very particular vulnerability, one which no human foot should have survived without breaking bones in the process. But kicks to the gronk nuts had yet to result in a trip to the hospital for any of the kids, and she _knew_ they adhered to Rule Three liberally.

She couldn’t help but wonder.

“I … noticed that certain parts of you feel different,” she said as her fingers slide along his hips. “Like, the pads and fingertips of your hands are smoother. And your lips are soft.”

He watched her, waiting, and Barbara couldn’t help herself, even if her cheeks prickled with a blush. She peered up at him but didn’t lose her confidence. Let her thumbs press just a little lower.

“And … what about …?” She let her voice trail off and wondered what Walt would say since there was no way he _couldn’t_ understand what she meant, not after the way their little situation had turned. The slits of his yellow eyes widened slightly, and she knew he hadn’t expected her to actually ask.

But then the cocky Walt she knew came out and he smirked. Her skin sparked where his fingers pressed into her waist.

“Perhaps, one day,” he said casually though the look in his eyes was warm. “You’ll find out yourself. If you want to, of course.”

She stared at him as her cheeks slowly blazed. Implications eased through her mind. Questions. Fantasies she hadn’t even known she’d had. The probable mechanics — the _possibility_ — of, uh, _sex_ between a human and a troll. Since the Battle of Trollmarket and everything that had resulted — taking care of the familiars, jobs, trying to stay afloat — she hadn’t had time to think about much more than an on-call date with Walt, and she doubted it would have been different if he’d still had his human form. And after all, most days it appeared he was run ragged as well.

But with a few words, he’d reminded her of _more_. Of _them_ where their desire still smoldered beneath the parental responsibility they’d both assumed.

And now that he’d reminded her — now that he’d even suggested it was a possibility — she wanted it. Barbara wanted more.

She wanted him.

Barbara held Walt’s gaze, and all she could do was give him an honest smile. One that turned naughty at the end.

“One day.” She shrugged nonchalantly though her heart beat wildly in her chest. “Who knows? Maybe someday soon.”

Walt’s eyes widened again, the fingers at her hips tightening ever so slightly, but before they could move any further down that road — the _possibility_ of that road — the baby monitor sounded. The cries of one baby slipped into the basement, and they both groaned as the other woke up and joined the first.

Barbara slipped from Walt’s hold and turned the volume down, grateful and disappointed for the moment to cool off from the heat that smoldered between them. Heat she wanted to stoke. Walt’s eyes reflected the same longing. Same desire.

She smiled and pressed her glasses a little higher up the bridge of her nose. “Seems like we’ll have to put this on hold.”

“I suppose we must,” he said warmly before he took her hand. “For now.”

She squeezed it back. “For now.” Barbara checked the clock and grimaced. “It’s probably Nomi. It’s that time of night. She’s hungry.”

“And I believe she’s learned that she gets fed if she wakes Wally as well.” Walt shook his head and rolled his eyes. “It makes me wonder just how similar Nomura and Nomi truly are.”

“How about you warm up the formula and I’ll start sorting them out? If we’re lucky, Wally might fall back asleep.”

“A nice thought,” Walt said, “but I will endeavor to hurry all the same.” That was fair. Walt’s former familiar only _ever_ wanted Walt, and the former changeling never complained. She supposed the bond between changeling and familiar was strong, and Walt had a soft spot in his heart for the boy.

Letting Walt’s hand go, she headed for the stairs, mind orienting itself back into parenting mode when Walt suddenly spoke.

“Wait, Barbara.”

Barbara paused, then turned to find Walt right there, somehow having crossed the room without a sound. He took her hand in his again, and once more the strange texture of his skin dominated her mind. He moved closer, the space between them intimate.

Yellow troll eyes held hers, giving her time if she didn’t want this. He’d let her slip away if that was what she wanted. Since he’d become a troll permanently they hadn’t kissed much, and the times they had had been on those occasions when he wore the glamour mask to look and feel more like his human self. He’d never kissed her like this, again she suspected, out of embarrassment or pride.

But she only smiled and met him halfway.

The kiss admittedly _was_ strange. His mouth was wider, his nose was quite large but she was careful of it, and that was nothing to say of his teeth. But his lips were soft under hers, and the gentle, enticing motions had her fingers sweeping up higher, twisting into his hair where she was able to gain some traction and return as much as he was giving. It was slow, careful work, given the threat of his teeth, but she was no less engaged. She couldn’t help but follow after him as he pulled away.

“That,” she said, her voice low and enticing. “Was something else.”

His eyebrows rose, and hope and something more caused them to glow. “A good something?”

“A very good something,” Barbara agreed as she pressed another kiss to his lips. The baby monitor squawked again and this time it was _definitely_ Nomi. Walt looked skyward and rolled his eyes.

“I wonder sometimes if they’re still connected, and Nomura convinces Nomi to torment me.”

Barbara grinned and squeezed Walt’s hand again before leading him up. Over her shoulder she said, “Well, maybe we should get a babysitter one night. We wouldn’t be interrupted then.”

“My dear Barbara,” Walt said coyly. “If I didn’t know better, I’d suspect you of indecent intentions.”

She only smirked, giving a look just as coy before nodding to the kitchen. “Not while babies are crying in the house. The formula?”

“Yes, yes, wouldn’t want to keep young Nomi waiting, would we?” he said. As Walt passed her, one of his wings glided around her body before nudging her toward the stairwell. “I’ll be right up.”

Warm, tender feelings swelled in her chest, and she smiled to herself as she climbed the stairs toward the nursery, listening to Walt move about in the kitchen and amazed with the turn her life had taken.

**Author's Note:**

> Aww, these two are so sweet, I love writing them.
> 
> I have several more GMAO! pieces to add to the series so keep an eye out for them :] Until next time!


End file.
